Method and structure for fabricating multiple tiled regions onto a plate using a controlled cleaving process

ABSTRACT

A reusable transfer substrate member for forming a tiled substrate structure. The member including a transfer substrate, which has a surface region. The surface region comprises a plurality of donor substrate regions. Each of the donor substrate regions is characterized by a donor substrate thickness and a donor substrate surface region. Each of the donor substrate regions is spatially disposed overlying the surface region of the transfer substrate. Each of the donor substrate regions has the donor substrate thickness without a definable cleave region.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/191,464, filed Jul. 27, 2005, which is incorporated herein in itsentirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the manufacture of substrates. Moreparticularly, the invention provides a technique including a method anda structure for forming multi-layered substrate structures, using atiled approach, for the fabrication of devices, for example, on flatpanel displays. But it will be recognized that the invention has a widerrange of applicability; it can also be applied to other substrates formulti-layered integrated circuit devices, three-dimensional packaging ofintegrated semiconductor devices, photonic devices, piezoelectronicdevices, microelectromechanical systems (“MEMS”), nano-technologystructures, sensors, actuators, solar cells, biological and biomedicaldevices, and the like.

From the very early days, human beings have been building usefularticles, tools, or devices using less useful materials for numerousyears. In some cases, articles are assembled by way of smaller elementsor building blocks. Alternatively, less useful articles are separatedinto smaller pieces to improve their utility. A common example of thesearticles to be separated includes substrate structures, such as a glassplate, a diamond, a semiconductor substrate, a flat panel display, andothers. These substrate structures are often cleaved or separated usinga variety of techniques. In some cases, the substrates can be separatedusing a saw operation. The saw operation generally relies upon arotating blade or tool, which cuts through the substrate material toseparate the substrate material into two pieces. This technique,however, is often extremely “rough” and cannot generally be used forproviding precision separations in the substrate for the manufacture offine tools and assemblies. Additionally, the saw operation often hasdifficulty separating or cutting extremely hard and or brittlematerials, such as diamond or glass. Additionally, the saw operation hasdifficulty in manufacturing larger substrates for flat panel displaysand the like.

Accordingly, techniques have been developed to fabricate flat paneldisplay substrates. These substrates are often fabricated on largesheets of glass or other like structures. The sheets of glass aresubjected to thin film processing at lower temperatures. Amorphoussilicon is often used to form thin film transistor devices on thesesheets of glass. Amorphous silicon, however, suffers from a variety ofknown limitations.

As an example, amorphous silicon often has higher resistance thanconventional single crystal silicon. Additionally, amorphous silicon maybe difficult to use for high speed device applications due to its lowrelative carrier mobility. Accordingly, certain techniques have beendeveloped to cleave a thin film of crystalline material from a largerdonor substrate portion. These techniques are commonly known as “layertransfer” processes. Such layer transfer processes have been useful inthe manufacture of specialized substrate structures, such as silicon oninsulator or display substrates. As merely an example, a pioneeringtechnique was developed by Francois J. Henley and Nathan Chung to cleavefilms of materials. Such technique has been described in U.S. Pat. No.6,013,563 titled Controlled Cleaving Process, assigned to SiliconGenesis Corporation of San Jose, Calif., and hereby incorporated byreference for all purposes. Although such technique has been successful,there is still a desire for improved ways of manufacturing multilayeredstructures.

From the above, it is seen that a technique for manufacturing largesubstrates which is cost effective and efficient is desirable.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, techniques related to themanufacture of substrates are provided. More particularly, the inventionprovides a technique including a method and a structure for formingmulti-layered substrate structures, using a tiled approach, for thefabrication of devices, for example, on flat panel displays. But it willbe recognized that the invention has a wider range of applicability; itcan also be applied to other substrates for multi-layered integratedcircuit devices, three-dimensional packaging of integrated semiconductordevices, photonic devices, piezoelectronic devices,microelectromechanical systems (“MEMS”), nano-technology structures,sensors, actuators, solar cells, biological and biomedical devices, andthe like.

In a specific embodiment, the present invention provides a method forforming a plurality of tile structures on a substrate member. The methodincludes providing a transfer substrate, e.g., glass, semiconductorsubstrate, quartz, a composite, or other suitable material. In apreferred embodiment, the transfer substrate has a surface region, whichhas a plurality of donor substrate regions, e.g., silicon, germanium,gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, other Group III/Vmaterials, Group II/VI materials, any combination of these, and others.Each of the donor substrate regions is characterized by a donorsubstrate thickness and a donor substrate surface region. Each of thedonor substrate regions is spatially disposed overlying the surfaceregion of the transfer substrate. Again in a preferred embodiment, themethod implants a plurality of particles concurrently through each ofthe donor substrate surface regions to form a cleave region provided bythe plurality of particles between a portion of the donor substratethickness and the donor substrate surface region. The method alsoincludes joining each of the donor substrate surface regions to a handlesubstrate surface region. The handle substrate surface region isprovided from a handle substrate. The method includes removing thetransfer substrate from the handle substrate to form a plurality ofdonor substrate portions spatially disposed overlying the handlesubstrate surface region.

In an alternative specific embodiment, the present invention provides areusable transfer substrate member for forming a tiled substratestructure. The member including a transfer substrate, which has asurface region. The surface region comprises a plurality of donorsubstrate regions. Each of the donor substrate regions is characterizedby a donor substrate thickness and a donor substrate surface region.Each of the donor substrate regions is spatially disposed overlying thesurface region of the transfer substrate. Each of the donor substrateregions has the donor substrate thickness without a definable cleaveregion. That is, the donor substrate thickness exists but cannot becleaved according to a specific embodiment.

In an alternative specific embodiment, the present invention provides amethod for forming a plurality of tile structures on a substrate member,e.g., glass, quartz. The method includes providing a transfer substrate,which has a surface region. The surface region comprises a plurality ofdonor substrate regions. Each of the donor substrate regions ischaracterized by a donor substrate thickness and a donor substratesurface region. Each of the donor substrate regions is spatiallydisposed overlying the surface region of the transfer substrate. Themethod includes processing the donor substrate regions provided on thetransfer substrate concurrently to form a cleave region between aportion of the donor substrate thickness and the donor substrate surfaceregion for each of the donor substrates. Depending upon the embodiment,the processing can be a thermal process, implanting process, etchingprocess, chemical and/or electro-chemical process, any combination ofthese, and others, which cause a change to a predetermined portion ofthe donor substrate thickness to form the cleave region, which becomescleavable from non-cleavable. The method joins each of the donorsubstrate surface regions to a handle substrate surface region, which isfrom a handle substrate. The method also includes removing the transfersubstrate from the handle substrate to form a plurality of donorsubstrate portions spatially disposed overlying the handle substratesurface region.

Numerous benefits are achieved over pre-existing techniques using thepresent invention. In particular, the present invention uses controlledenergy and selected conditions to preferentially cleave a plurality ofthin films of material from a plurality of donor substrates, whichincludes multi-material sandwiched films. This cleaving processselectively removes the plurality of thin films of material from thesubstrates while preventing a possibility of damage to the film or aremaining portion of the substrate. Additionally, the present method andstructures allows for more efficient processing using implantation of aplurality of donor substrates simultaneously according to a specificembodiment. Furthermore, the invention provides a method and structureto form large master donor substrates including a plurality of donorsubstrate regions using an economical approach and fewer implantingsteps, as compared to conventional techniques. Depending upon theembodiment, one or more of these benefits may be achieved. These andother benefits may be described throughout the present specification andmore particularly below.

The present invention achieves these benefits and others in the contextof known process technology. However, a further understanding of thenature and advantages of the present invention may be realized byreference to the latter portions of the specification and attacheddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating a tiled substrate memberaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram illustrating an alternative tiledsubstrate member according to an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIGS. 3 through 7 illustrate a simplified method for manufacturing atiled substrate according to embodiments of the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, techniques related to themanufacture of substrates are provided. More particularly, the inventionprovides a technique including a method and a structure for formingmulti-layered substrate structures, using a tiled approach, for thefabrication of devices, for example, on flat panel displays. But it willbe recognized that the invention has a wider range of applicability; itcan also be applied to other substrates for multi-layered integratedcircuit devices, three-dimensional packaging of integrated semiconductordevices, photonic devices, piezoelectronic devices,microelectromechanical systems (“MEMS”), nano-technology structures,sensors, actuators, solar cells, biological and biomedical devices, andthe like.

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating a master tiled substratemember 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Thisdiagram is merely an illustration that should not unduly limit the scopeof the claims herein. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognizeother variations, modifications, and alternatives. As shown, the mastertiled substrate member has a plurality of substrates regions 103disposed spatially on a larger substrate member 101. The plurality ofsubstrate regions can be used as a starting material for a plurality ofdonor substrate regions. The plurality of donor substrate regions can bemade of a variety of materials such as silicon, germanium, galliumarsenide, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, other Group III/V materials,Group II/VI materials. The larger substrate member can be any suitablepiece to act as a transfer substrate, which will be described in furtherdetail below. The larger substrate is made of a suitable material thatis rigid and can hold each of the donor substrate regions in place.Depending upon the embodiment, the substrate regions can be made of asingle material, multiple materials, or any combination of these, andthe like. Of course, there can be other variations, modifications, andalternatives.

FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram illustrating an alternative tiledsubstrate member including a handle substrate 200 according to analternative embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merelyan illustration that should not unduly limit the scope of the claimsherein. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize othervariations, modifications, and alternatives. As shown, the tiledsubstrates 205 are provided on handle substrate 201. Each of the tiledsubstrates is derived from a layer transfer process from the mastertiled substrate, which was described above, and throughout the presentspecification. The layer transfer process may be a controlled cleavingprocess from Silicon Genesis Corporation of San Jose, Calif., a processcalled Eltran™ from Canon, Inc., of Japan and other processes, such asthermal treatment processes called SmartCut™ from Soitec, SA of France.Of course, there can be other variations, modifications, andalternatives. Details of methods according to embodiments of the presentinvention are provided throughout the present specification and moreparticularly below.

A method for fabricating a large area substrate using a tiled approachaccording to an embodiment of the present invention may be outlined asfollows:

1. Provide a transfer substrate, the transfer substrate having a surfaceregion;

2. Spatially disposing a plurality of donor substrate regions on thesurface region of the transfer substrate, each of the donor substrateregions may be characterized by a donor substrate thickness and a donorsubstrate surface region;

3. Implant a plurality of particles concurrently through each of thedonor substrate surface regions to form a cleave region provided by theplurality of particles between the donor substrate thickness and thedonor substrate surface region;

4. Join each of the donor substrate surface regions to a handlesubstrate surface region, the handle substrate surface region beingprovided from a handle substrate; and

5. Initiate a controlled cleaving action within one or more of the donorsubstrates;

6. Remove the transfer substrate from the handle substrate to form aplurality of donor substrate portions spatially disposed overlying thehandle substrate surface region;

7. Form one or more devices on one or more portions of the donorsubstrate portions spatially disposed overlying the handle substratesurface region; and

8. Perform other steps, as desired.

The above sequence of steps provides a method according to an embodimentof the present invention. As shown, the method uses a combination ofsteps including a way of forming a large substrate material using aplurality of donor substrates that are manufactured concurrently duringa portion of their processing. Other alternatives can also be providedwhere steps are added, one or more steps are removed, or one or moresteps are provided in a different sequence without departing from thescope of the claims herein. Further details of the present method can befound throughout the present specification and more particularly below.

The above sequence of steps provides a method according to an embodimentof the present invention. As shown, the method uses a combination ofsteps including a way of forming a large substrate material using aplurality of donor substrates that are manufactured concurrently duringa portion of their processing. Other alternatives can also be providedwhere steps are added, one or more steps are removed, or one or moresteps are provided in a different sequence without departing from thescope of the claims herein. Further details of the present method can befound throughout the present specification and more particularly below.

FIGS. 3 through 7 illustrate a simplified method for manufacturing atiled substrate according to embodiments of the present invention. Thesediagrams are merely illustrations that should not unduly limit the scopeof the claims herein. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognizeother variations, modifications, and alternatives. As shown, the methodbegins by providing a transfer substrate 303, which has a surface region303. The transfer substrate can be made of any suitable material such asa conductor, insulator, or semiconductor, which may be a composite,single layer, or multiple layers, or any combination of these, and thelike. The conductor can be a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, orother metal materials. The insulator can be a glass, a plastic, aquartz, or a ceramic, or combination of these, and the like. Thesemiconductor can be silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide,silicon-germanium alloy, any Group III/V materials, and others. Thetransfer substrate can be made of a single homogenous material, or acombination of various layers, depending upon the specific embodiment.Of course, there can be other variations, modifications, andalternatives.

As shown, the transfer substrate has a plurality of donor substrateregions 305 on the surface region of the transfer substrate according toa specific embodiment. Each of the donor substrate regions may becharacterized by a donor substrate thickness and a donor substratesurface region. The plurality of donor substrate regions can be made ofa variety of materials such as silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide,gallium nitride, silicon carbide, other Group III/V materials, GroupII/VI materials. Each of the donor substrate regions is smaller in sizethen the transfer substrate, which often has at least two times, threetimes, four times or greater a surface region of any individual donorsubstrate region. For example, a Generation 3.5 glass size (which is anindustrial standard for the flat panel display industry) suitable forflat panel manufacturing is 620 mm×750 mm and is roughly 7.5 timeslarger in area than a 300 mm single crystal silicon substrate.Alternatively, the handle substrate may be much larger than Generation3.5. The area ratio would also be proportionally larger if the round 300mm substrate would be cut to tile the transfer substrate according to aspecific embodiment.

In a preferred embodiment, each of the donor substrate regions istemporarily (or permanently) transferred onto a spatial surface regionof the transfer substrate. Once this bonding occurs, the transfersubstrate can be handled and used as a larger effective donor substrateaccording to a specific embodiment. The donor substrate regions can eachbe oxidized 307 and then bonded to the surface region of a handlesubstrate, as shown. As merely an example, the oxidation layer is oftenformed on a silicon substrate. The oxidation layer can be a naturaloxide, thermal oxide, deposited oxide, or any other type of oxide layer,which enhanced bonding the donor substrate regions on the transfersubstrate. In a specific embodiment, the method performs a cleaningand/or activating process (e.g., plasma activated process) on surfacesof the donor substrate regions, which have been oxidized, and thetransfer substrate according to a specific embodiment. Such plasmaactivating processes clean and/or activate the surfaces of thesubstrates. The plasma activated processes are provided using a nitrogenbearing plasma at 20° C.-40° C. temperature. The plasma activatedprocesses are preferably carried out in dual frequency plasma activationsystem manufactured by Silicon Genesis Corporation of San Jose, Calif.Of course, there can be other variations, modifications, andalternatives.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the method introduces a plurality of particles400 concurrently through each of the donor substrate surface regions toform a cleave region 401 provided by the plurality of particles betweenthe donor substrate thickness and the donor substrate surface region. Ina preferred embodiment, the particles are implanted through surfaces ofat least two or more donor substrate regions and most preferably througheach of the donor substrate regions simultaneously for efficiency.

Depending upon the embodiment, the cleave region can be formed using avariety of techniques. That is, the cleave region can be formed usingany suitable combination of implanted particles, deposited layers,diffused materials, patterned regions, and other techniques. Referringagain to FIG. 4, the method introduces certain energetic particles usingan implant process through a top surface of each of the donor substrateregions simultaneously to a selected depth, which defines a thickness ofthe material region, termed the “thin film” of material. A variety oftechniques can be used to implant the energetic particles into thesilicon wafer according to a specific embodiment. These techniquesinclude ion implantation using, for example, beam line ion implantationequipment manufactured from companies such as Applied Materials, Inc.and others. Alternatively, implantation occurs using a plasma immersionion implantation (“PIII”) technique, ion shower, and other non-massspecific techniques. Such techniques can be particularly effective dueto its ability to implant large areas from different substratessimultaneously according to a specific embodiment. Combination of suchtechniques may also be used. Ion implant dose for the non-mass specifictechniques should be about 10 percent end to end uniformity across themultiple substrates or better. Ion implant depth uniformity for thenon-mass specific techniques should be about 10 percent end to enduniformity across the multiple substrates or better. Of course,techniques used depend upon the application.

Depending upon the application, smaller mass particles are generallyselected to reduce a possibility of damage to the material regionaccording to a preferred embodiment. That is, smaller mass particleseasily travel through the substrate material to the selected depthwithout substantially damaging the material region that the particlestraverse through. For example, the smaller mass particles (or energeticparticles) can be almost any charged (e.g., positive or negative) and orneutral atoms or molecules, or electrons, or the like. In a specificembodiment, the particles can be neutral and or charged particlesincluding ions such as ions of hydrogen and its isotopes, rare gas ionssuch as helium and its isotopes, and neon, or others depending upon theembodiment. The particles can also be derived from compounds such asgases, e.g., hydrogen gas, water vapor, methane, and hydrogen compounds,and other light atomic mass particles. Alternatively, the particles canbe any combination of the above particles, and or ions and or molecularspecies and or atomic species. The particles generally have sufficientkinetic energy to penetrate through the surface to the selected depthunderneath the surface.

Using hydrogen as the implanted species into the silicon wafer as anexample, the implantation process is performed using a specific set ofconditions. Implantation dose ranges from about 10¹⁵ to about 10¹⁸atoms/cm², and preferably the dose is greater than about 10¹⁶ atoms/cm².Implantation energy ranges from about 1 KeV to about 1 MeV, and isgenerally about 50 KeV. Implantation temperature ranges from about 20 toabout 600 Degrees Celsius, and is preferably less than about 400 DegreesCelsius to prevent a possibility of a substantial quantity of hydrogenions from diffusing out of the implanted silicon wafer and annealing theimplanted damage and stress. The hydrogen ions can be selectivelyintroduced into the silicon wafer to the selected depth at an accuracyof about +/−0.03 to +/−0.05 microns. Of course, the type of ion used andprocess conditions depend upon the application.

Effectively, the implanted particles add stress or reduce fractureenergy along a plane parallel to the top surface of the substrate at theselected depth. The energies depend, in part, upon the implantationspecies and conditions. These particles reduce a fracture energy levelof the substrate at the selected depth. This allows for a controlledcleave along the implanted plane at the selected depth. Implantation canoccur under conditions such that the energy state of the substrate atall internal locations is insufficient to initiate a non-reversiblefracture (i.e., separation or cleaving) in the substrate material. Itshould be noted, however, that implantation does generally cause acertain amount of defects (e.g., micro-detects) in the substrate thatcan typically at least partially be repaired by subsequent heattreatment, e.g., thermal annealing or rapid thermal annealing. Ofcourse, there can be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

Depending upon the embodiment, there may be other techniques for forminga cleave region and/or cleave layer. As merely an example, such cleaveregion is formed using other processes, such as those using a silicongermanium cleave plane developed by Silicon Genesis Corporation of SanJose, Calif. and processes such as the SmartCut™ process of Soitec SA ofFrance, and the Eltran™ process of Canon Inc. of Tokyo, Japan, any likeprocesses, and others. Of course, there may be other variations,modifications, and alternatives.

In a specific embodiment, the method includes joining each of the donorsubstrate surface regions to a handle substrate surface region 501 asillustrated by FIG. 5. As shown, the handle substrate surface region isprovided from a handle substrate 503. Before joining, the handlesubstrate and donor substrate surfaces are each subjected to a cleaningsolution to treat surfaces of the substrates to clean the donorsubstrate surface regions according to a specific embodiment. An exampleof a solution to clean the substrates and handle substrate can be amixture of hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid and other like solutionsaccording to a specific embodiment. A dryer can dry the donor substratesand handle substrate surfaces to remove any residual liquids, particles,and other impurities from the substrate surfaces. Self bonding occurs byplacing surfaces of the cleaned substrates (e.g., donor substrateregions and handle substrate) together after an optional plasmaactivation process depending upon a specific layer transfer processused. If desired, such plasma activated processes clean and/or activatethe surfaces of the substrates. The plasma activated processes areprovided, for example, using an oxygen and/or nitrogen bearing plasma at20° C. to 40° C. temperature. The plasma activated processes arepreferably carried out in dual frequency plasma activation systemmanufactured by Silicon Genesis Corporation of San Jose, Calif. Ofcourse, there can be other variations, modifications, and alternatives,which have been described herein, as well as outside of the presentspecification.

Thereafter, each of these substrates is bonded together according to aspecific embodiment. As shown, the handle substrate has been bonded tothe plurality of donor substrate surface regions. The substrates arepreferably bonded using an EVG 850 bonding tool manufactured byElectronic Vision Group or other like processes for smaller substratesizes such as 200 mm or 300 mm diameter wafers. Other types of toolssuch as those manufactured by Karl Suss may also be used. Of course,there can be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.Preferably, bonding between the handle substrate and each of the donorsis substantially permanent and has good reliability. For larger glasssizes, custom bonding equipment would be desired but are mostly largerversions of those used to bond together semiconductor substratesaccording to a specific embodiment.

Accordingly after bonding, the bonded substrate structures are subjectedto a bake treatment. The bake treatment maintains the bonded substrateat a predetermined temperature and predetermined time. Preferably, thetemperature ranges from about 200 or 250 Degrees Celsius to about 400Degrees Celsius and is preferably about 350 Degrees Celsius for about 1hour or so for silicon donor substrates and the handle substrate toattach themselves to each other permanently according to the preferredembodiment. Depending upon the specific application, there can be othervariations, modifications, and alternatives.

In a specific embodiment, the substrates are joined or fused togetherusing a low temperature thermal step. The low temperature thermalprocess generally ensures that the implanted particles do not placeexcessive stress on the material region, which can produce anuncontrolled cleave action. In a specific embodiment, the lowtemperature bonding process occurs by a self-bonding process or otherlike process. Alternatively, an adhesive disposed on either or bothsurfaces of the substrates, which bond one substrate to anothersubstrate. In a specific embodiment, the adhesive includes an epoxy,polyimide-type materials, and the like. Spin-on-glass layers can be usedto bond one substrate surface onto the face of another. Thesespin-on-glass (“SOG”) materials include, among others, siloxanes orsilicates, which are often mixed with alcohol-based solvents or thelike. SOG can be a desirable material because of the low temperatures(e.g., 150 to 250 degrees C.) often needed to cure the SOG after it isapplied to surfaces of the wafers.

Alternatively, a variety of other low temperature techniques can be usedto join the donor substrate surface regions to the handle substrate. Forinstance, an electro-static bonding technique can be used to join thetwo substrates together. In particular, one or both substrate surface(s)is charged to attract to the other substrate surface. Additionally, thedonor substrate surfaces can be fused to the handle wafer using avariety of other commonly known techniques. Of course, the techniqueused depends upon the application.

Referring to FIG. 6, the method includes a step of initiating acontrolled cleaving action 600 within one or more of the donorsubstrates along a portion of the cleave region. Depending upon thespecific embodiment, there can be certain variations. For example, thecleaving process can be a controlled cleaving process using apropagating cleave front to selectively free a thickness of materialfrom each of the donor substrate regions attached to a handle substrate.Alternative techniques for cleaving can also be used. Such techniques,include, but are not limited to those using a silicon germanium cleaveregion from Silicon Genesis Corporation of San Jose, Calif., theSmartCut™ process of Soitec SA of France, and the Eltran™ process ofCanon Inc. of Tokyo, Japan, any like processes, and others. The methodthen removes the transfer substrate, which provided each of thethickness of material from each of the donor substrate regions, from thehandle substrate to form a plurality of donor substrate portionsspatially disposed overlying the handle substrate surface region.

Next, the present method performs other processes on portions of thedonor substrate regions, which have been attached to the handlesubstrate. The method forms one or more devices on one or more portionsof the donor substrate portions spatially disposed overlying the handlesubstrate surface regions. Such devices can include integratedsemiconductor devices, photonic and/or optoelectronic devices (e.g.,light valves), piezoelectronic devices, microelectromechanical systems(“MEMS”), nano-technology structures, sensors, actuators, solar cells,flat panel display devices (e.g., LCD, AMLCD), biological and biomedicaldevices, and the like. Such devices can be made using deposition,etching, implantation, photo masking processes, any combination ofthese, and the like. Of course, there can be other variations,modifications, and alternatives. Additionally, other steps can also beformed, as desired.

Additional processes may include a “reuse” process according to aspecific embodiment, as illustrated by FIG. 7. As shown, the initialcleaving process removed a thickness of material from each of the donorsubstrate regions provided on the transfer substrate. The remainingdonor substrate regions may be subjected to a surface smoothing process,oxidized and implanted again to form another cleave region within eachof the donor substrate regions. The donor substrate regions, which nowinclude the plurality of cleave regions, are subjected to a bondingprocess to another handle substrate and a cleaving process to form atiled handle substrate including a plurality of donor substrateportions. Of course, there can be other variations, modifications, andalternatives.

While the above is a full description of the specific embodiments,various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may beused. Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not betaken as limiting the scope of the present invention which is defined bythe appended claims.

1. A method for forming a solar cell comprising a plurality of tilestructures, the method comprising: providing two or more separate tileddonor substrates, each of the tiled donor substrates being characterizedby a donor substrate thickness and a donor substrate surface regionhaving a surface area corresponding to an entire processed semiconductorsubstrate; concurrently implanting particles through the donor substratesurface region of each of the separate tiled donor substrates, to form arespective cleave region between a portion of the donor substratethickness and the donor substrate surface region in each of the two ormore separate tiled donor substrates; joining each of the donorsubstrate surface regions to a handle substrate surface region of ahandle substrate; separating along a cleave plane of the cleave regionof each of the tiled donor substrates, a respective tiled donorsubstrate portion spatially disposed overlying the handle substratesurface region; and incorporating the plurality of tiled donor substrateportions into a solar cell structure offering a sufficient photovoltaicsurface area to convert solar energy into electrical power.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of tiled donorsubstrates comprises a single crystal silicon bearing material.
 3. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the separating comprises, for each of thetiled donor substrates, cleaving the cleave region to remove a thicknessof donor substrate material between the cleave region and the donorsubstrate surface region.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the cleavingis characterized by a controlled cleaving action.
 5. The method of claim1 wherein the handle substrate comprises a glass substrate or a quartzplate.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a thermal process toform the cleave region.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein, for each ofthe tiled donor substrates, the cleave region comprises an implantedregion and a deposited region.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein, foreach of the tiled donor substrates, the cleave region comprises animplanted region.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the implanted regioncomprises hydrogen.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the implantedregion comprises a plurality of hydrogen species.
 11. The method ofclaim 1 wherein, for each of the tiled donor substrates, the cleaveregion comprises a plurality of particles therein.
 12. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the joining comprises bonding each of the donorsubstrate surface regions to the handle substrate surface region. 13.The method of claim 12 wherein the bonding is substantially permanent.14. The method of claim 1 further comprising: reusing a remainingplurality of the separate tiled donor substrates to form an additionalplurality of tiled donor substrate portions; incorporating theadditional plurality of tiled donor substrate portions into the solarcell structure or a second solar cell structure offering a sufficientphotovoltaic surface area to convert solar energy into electrical power.15. A method for forming a solar cell comprising a plurality of tilestructures, the method comprising: providing a plurality of separatetiled donor substrates, each of the tiled donor substrates beingcharacterized by a donor substrate thickness and a donor substratesurface region having a surface area corresponding to an entireprocessed semiconductor substrate; processing the donor substrateregions concurrently to form a respective cleave region between aportion of the donor substrate thickness and the donor substrate surfaceregion for each of the tiled donor substrates; joining each of the donorsubstrate surface regions to a handle substrate surface region of ahandle substrate; separating along a cleave plane of the cleave region,a plurality of tiled donor substrate portions spatially disposedoverlying the handle substrate surface region; and incorporating theplurality of tiled donor substrate portions into a solar cell structureoffering a sufficient photovoltaic surface area to convert solar energyinto electrical power.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the processingcomprises an implanting process.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein theprocessing comprises a thermal process.
 18. The method of claim 15wherein the processing causes a change in a portion of the donorsubstrate thickness to form the cleave region, the cleave regioncomprising a deposited material.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein thehandle substrate comprises a glass substrate or a quartz plate.
 20. Themethod of claim 15 wherein the joining is substantially permanent. 21.The method of claim 15 further comprising: reusing a remaining pluralityof separate tiled donor substrates to form an additional plurality oftiled donor substrate portions; incorporating the additional pluralityof tiled donor substrate portions into the solar cell structure or asecond solar cell structure offering a sufficient photovoltaic surfacearea to convert solar energy into electrical power.